Social Class Shapes Donation Allocation Preferences

Abstract When considering a charitable act, consumers must often decide on how to allocate their resources across multitude of possible causes. This article assesses the relative “urgency” causes under consideration (i.e., critical human survival are) shapes preferences for specific among higher and lower social class consumers. Across series studies in highly unequal socioeconomic environment (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), we demonstrate that lower-class prefer donate urgent (e.g., alleviating hunger) compared non-urgent encouraging cultural activities), whereas effect reverses higher-class Contrasting experiences with scarcity classes vary consumers’ intrinsic sympathy toward people’s unmet basic needs, which turn donation allocation preferences. Consistent this theoretical rationale, differences allocations decrease when (a) vivid contextual cues induce both higher- or (b) experience is similar classes. Thus, although can be shifted ease, our findings suggest those who have most give do not spontaneously prioritize what urgently needed society.